Oil: how black is normal?

[WCBlueSky]

For the last two oil changes since I've owned the vehicle I've used "Shell Rotella T4 Triple Protection Conventional 15W-40 Diesel Engine Oil". Both times the oil comes out after a few thousand miles looking like black paint. Seems darker than the oil in other vehicles I own. Is this normal? Maybe there are significant carbon deposits in the engine that the detergents in the Rotella are removing, and it will eventually go away??

EDIT: I have a gasoline engine, but I'm using Diesel oil.

 

[SNLC]

For a diesel engine yes.

Cheers

 

[WCBlueSky]

For a diesel engine yes.

To clarify, I have a gasoline engine, but I'm using Diesel oil as recommended in some of the threads here. So is this normal for a gasoline engine?

 

[Vasiliy]

Diesel oil have more "washing" things inside, so it's cleaning your engine.
I would change it each 5.000km

 

[Squeegee]

What’s your intervals for changing the oil? That looks pretty normal I change mine every 7k and it’s usually darker

 

[BILT4ME]

I change mine every 6500 and it's not that dirty.

The diesel oil is a high detergent oil and is cleaning out the interior of your engine.

Change it every 2500 until it cleans up an is still kinda honey colored at that interval.

 

[77mustard40]

I've been through 3 changes with the 80 diesel using 15-40 diesel engine oil (Shell Rotella & Mobil Delo). I was concerned about previous maintenance intervals on a family owned truck and the first change after 2,500 miles was jet black. Ran the second for 4,000 miles and changed it last weekend and it didn't seem as dirty. Planning to run this change 5,000 miles. Echo others that these oils have a higher detergent content so over time it should clean up some of the 25 year old residue.

For comparison I have run the same type oil in my 40 for years and its oil changes are pretty clean looking, but this oil is definitely darker in appearance than conventional oils.

 

[Dave 2000]

By coincidence I changed the oil on my diesel 80 today. I use a set procedure for EVERY oil change on my car.

After a run I drain the oil and remove the filter, fit a new filter and refill with 10/40 run for around ten minutes, shut it down and leave for ten minutes, change the oil filter again and then refill with 10/40. So yes every oil change there is a sacrificial change. It's hard to gauge the blackness of the oil on the dipstick so it has to be done through a clear container. I do know when checking the 'blackness' in the clear containers it is clear (no pun intended) that if left long enough the colour is not so dense, this would indicate it is tiny particles of carbon and makes the oil look worse than what it is.

If oil changes are kept up to date on modern engines the oil comes out quite clear, the older the technology of the engine the dirtier they run, so more regular oil changes are needed IMO.

I am about to update my long running thread where I keep the service history

Build - My LC 80 thread.

forum.ih8mud.com

regards

Dave

 

[WCBlueSky]

What’s your intervals for changing the oil?

I checked and the picture above was 4500 miles.